
Beer reviews and blog posts by Matt
Matt spent the majority of his adult life drinking Miller Lite in large quantities. Largely turned off by darker beers, he was introduced to homebrewing in early 2009. Almost immediately, his taste buds began to morph, accepting beers with FLAVOR and character. Since then, Matt's had fun adventures learning all about beer, especially how to brew it successfully at home. Everywhere he goes he tries new beer and expands his knowledge of what is available. Matt digs Pale Ales and IPA’s.


Lakefront Organic ESB
This beer pours a beautiful rust color with a dense 2 finger head that dissipates to a film but is already leaving some intricate lacing. The aroma is not all that pronounced but there is a malt presence and lack of hop notes. That theme is continued after the first...
Horny Goat Red Vixen Vienna Style Lager
This beer pours a rust orange copper with a healthy and dense head. Lots of bubbles rising rapidly from the bottom of the glass. The aroma consists of faint darker malts, copper, and hard water. Some weird florals going on here also. All together not too appealing....
Breckenridge Lucky U IPA
Thanks again to Steve in Colorado for another round of beers. Lucky U is a beer I thought was available only out west but on a recent trip to Binny’s I spotted it on the shelf. Here are my thoughts. It pours a beautiful, clear copper color with a one finger head that...
Odell St. Lupulin Extra Pale Ale
You can imagine what this beer may taste like based on the name. After a good day at work and a daughter that is early to bed, I couldn’t wait to crack this beer open. Thanks to Steve in Colorado for this treat. It pours a rich, golden honey color with a fluffy,...
Brewmaster Dinner at Emmett’s Brewing Company
I’ve been married to my wonderful wife for 5 years. This year it was her turn to plan our anniversary dinner evening and she did a great job. Not only did she manage to keep me in the dark the entire time up until our arrival, she chose a place and event that she knew...
Central Waters Ouisconsing Red Ale
Pours a nice, red amber, clear and bubbly with a one-finger head. Fruity ale smell- pleasant- malts and floral hops. First sip really hit me with an iron presence and I was immediately turned off. My first instinct is that the iron note comes from the water used in...
Boulder Hazed and Infused Dry-Hopped Ale
This beer pours a beautiful rust orange color with a fluffy, dense head. The aroma welcomes you with a blast of pungent, citrusy hops. The smell is intoxicating and immediately puts a smile on my face. I had a feeling this was going to be a good beer when I chose to...
Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot
Some tasting notes about Lagunitas’ Wilco Tango Foxtrot, “a malty, robust, jobless recovery ale.” I shared a 22 oz bomber with a buddy – here are my notes on this one: Combo of red, dark orange, brown hues Smells deliciously of hops- a bit oily– slightly...
Rogue American Amber Ale
Pours a cloudy, rusty orange with minimal head on my pint glass pour. Aroma consists of more malt than hops, and I pick up a toasted, bready note. Before I go into the taste let me say that I appreciate the few Rogue beers I’ve had. I know my brother who resides on...
Trinity Red Ale
Pours a copper, slightly cloudy red color, 1 finger head; beer eventually clears quite well. Aroma is quite surprising, pleasant, and pleasing. Chocolate, caramel, coffee candy- really quite impressive. Like the inside of a coffee or candy shop. Taste: I definitely...Review: My First Year of Home Brewing
It was April 2009 when I first began brewing beer at home. What follows is a list of every batch since then and some brief notes on each. It was a great year. Not every beer was amazing, but some were very impressive, especially for a new guy. As you can see, I jumped...
Ale Asylum Ballistic IPA
Beer 101: empty stomach, 7.5% IPA = accelerated intoxication. Some would steer from this, and although I don’t often aim for it, after a day like today I find it acceptable on my own moral compass. Came home to find a nice amount of standing water in my daughter’s...
Trader Joe’s Vienna Style Lager
Color is a clear burnt orange, copper with a 1 finger head that dissipates quickly and leaves a slight film. Smells like a mix of malt and faint, floral hops- but the malt dominates. The taste consists of a sweet fruitiness right off the bat but the sweetness quickly...
Harp Lager
From the brewers of Guinness … Having gone from drinking the lightest, most watery and drinkable beers to now enjoying much more flavorful, complex, and bigger beers, a part of me still finds room in my beer appetite for the former. While many of my friends...Rainy Day IPA Batch Update
Took a sample of the IPA last night. It was just as I had hoped – 1.01 FG- yielding a 5.0% ABV. The color shocked me, in a good way. A bright, pale orange color that really caught me off guard. The taste was great also, very hoppy. Going to be a hoppy pale ale, more...Home Brewing Batch Update: Amberhop
A buddy of mine and I kegged the Amberhop last Thursday. I set the regulator to 30 PSI and let it sit for about 3 whole days. Yesterday, amidst a painfully long day of serious yard work, I decided I had earned a pint of my long await recent batch. I went down the...
Homebrew Red Ale #5
Wow. I told my wife after I had kegged this and it was ready to drink that I thought it was my best beer to date. I should qualify that. I was and remains the most drinkable of my pale ales in my opinion. As for being my best beer, I can’t commit to that, but it...Homebrew Rainy Day IPA
Some introductory info on this beer, brewed 4/3/10 Based on Jamil’s “Hoppiness is an IPA” in Brewing Classic Styles Helpers: Olivia, daughter. Vicki, wife. Ingredients 4lbs 2-Row American Pale Malt .75 lbs Munich malt .5 Crystal 10 .25 Crystal 40 3lbs Dry Malt Extract...
Steinhaus Mission Street Pale Ale
This beer pours a fluffy, 2 finger head and smells of delicious, American hops. Yellow / orange in color, clear, no sediment. The taste is balanced and crisp, with some solid malt backbone. Satisfying, yet refreshing. The hops are very present, but not overdone. They...Home Brewing: AmberHop in Secondary
This beer was basically an experiment for me, but not a wild risky experiment where I thought there was a good chance of producing a bad beer. More experimental in the sense that I have been dabbling more and more with partial mash brews in an effort to expand my...Meet Matt Claus, Home Brewer
I figure there are a couple of reasons behind my romance with making beer at home. I’m no food scientist, but my grandfather was. He actually was very well respected in the industrial food industry (the same industry I work in now.) His achievements were scattered...
New Glarus Hop Hearty Ale
First off, thanks to my friends Keith and Cherish for the case of mixed New Glarus beers I received for my birthday – one of them being Hop Hearty, their IPA – and if I’m not mistaken, their only beer that boasts a “hearty” amount of hops. BAM! Thank you...
Ram Nutcracker Irish Red Ale
My personal history with this Chicago brewpub chain started probably a decade ago when I was working for the same company I am now, but had a very different job. Back then I was driving around a white cargo van with an oversized company logo on the side, listening to...